Call to return 700-year-old comb to Jedburgh Abbey

Mr Reid welcomed discussions over the return of the comb.

He said: “The fear locally was that it would be lost in a National Museums collection, much of which is not on public show.

“It brings a wow factor to the Jedburgh collection. It is also something for Jedburgh to be proud of so it would be good to see it back in its home.”

He added: “We’ve got the Mary Queen of Scots House, the jail, and the local festival celebrates all sorts of events, but the Abbey is the jewel in the crown.”

Historic Environment Scotland said the comb had been taken into the possession of National Museums Scotland in 2022, as part of regular quality checks.

A spokespersopn said: “After being on display at Jedburgh Abbey for over 25 years, it was taken to the National Museums Collection Centre for condition checking and conservation work.

“Like many historic objects made from organic material it is fragile, and taking such objects off display for periods of time helps to preserve them.

“We are currently in discussions with National Museums Scotland about the next steps for sharing the story of the comb with visitors to Jedburgh Abbey.”